You only have 24 hours in the day. It’s hard enough setting aside time for actual exercise, but throw in your commute to-and-fro and it can add up to a lot of wasted time — time that you can’t afford to lose. So here’s the good news: you can still have an effective workout without ever leaving your home.

If you look in the right places, you’ll find some great at-home workout routines that you could do in your pajamas if you were so inclined. Here are some good starting points.

Where to Find Workout Routines

The Fitness Plan Generator is a simple tool that asks four questions: your fitness level, the type of workout you want, how much time you can spend, and which pieces of equipment you have available. Based on your answers, it will generate a list of workout routines that you can try.

It’s not a comprehensive tool; in fact, it’s quite basic in what it offers. However, it’s a great jump-off point for those who are still in the beginning phase of exercise. The routines are easy to understand and each exercise has an in-depth description of how to perform it.

Running. You either love it or you hate it and most of us lean towards the latter. Who wants to deal with burning lungs, aching thighs, wobbly knees and shin splints? If that describes your typical running experience, you’re probably doing it wrong. When done correctly, running can be quite enjoyable.

That’s what the Couch-to-5k program aims to address. Most newbie runners push themselves too hard on their first few runs, which is why they end up in pain and discomfort. The right approach is to ease into it even when it feels like you aren’t getting a good workout.

With this plan, any couch potato will be able to run a non-stop 5k by the end of 8 weeks and all it requires is three days per week, 20 minutes per day.

Like the Couch-to-5k program above, SimpleFit is a simple ease-into-it workout plan for newbies whose bodies aren’t exactly ready to take a beating just yet. SimpleFit only requires 3 days of exercise per week, 20 minutes per day. In fact, why not combine it with the Couch-to-5k program?

And while you can find a lot of general purpose fitness subreddits on Reddit, /r/BodyweightFitness subreddit is great for workouts that don’t require a gym membership.

On the sidebar, you’ll find a section called Bodyweight Training Info which contains links to a beginner routine, a FAQ for bodyweight training newbies, and a training guide that will get you up to speed on the theory that drives bodyweight fitness. Plus, under the Weekly Threads section, you’ll notice Training Tuesdays where you can discuss routines with other people.

Tools For Tracking Fitness Progress

Half the fun of working out is tracking your progress and seeing concrete evidence of your personal growth. Feel free to use traditional pen-and-paper, but if you want some neat bells and whistles to go along with your journal, these web apps can be nifty.

BodBot is an app that fulfills all three roles: personal trainer, nutritionist, and coach. It starts by asking you what you want to achieve by exercising (lose fat, gain muscle, improve cognitive health, etc.), where you want to work out (home or gym), and such. It lets you manage your own training schedule or it will plan one that’s tailored for you.

Over time, BodBot will adapt to your workout pace and adjust your training for optimal gains and these changes will be sensitive to your schedule. As far as nutrition is concerned, BodBot will recommend the best foods for meeting your goals and track your meals day-to-day to see how you’re doing.

JEFIT is the premier workout tracker app. With it, you can define your own routines and track your progress with every completed session. The best part is that it doesn’t just record how often you complete your exercises, but also the changes in your workout intensity, body mass distribution, and how many personal records you break.

JEFIT can be accessed by app or by web and it will stay synchronized between the two.

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Muhammad A

September 14, 2014 at 7:29 pm

I use the "Runtastic App".It can track almost any activity.It has lots of features like heart rate moniter,altitude gain,split laps,etc.You can also upload your activities to runtastic.com & share on social sites.The paid version has even more features.

Some days all I do is run for other people, and I'm always monitoring all their calendars plus my own. Trying to keep up with housework is nearly impossible. I'm 63 years old kept young by grandkids. I have an artificial ankle with a foot filled with arthritis, surgery needed on the other ankle, an arthritic knee, and a hip muscle that's still bugging me after a tear repair in January. All of this and more is due to a fall seven years ago. I need to lose weight and need a program that's easy and doesn't take a lot of time. Is there something out there that fits the bill or am I out of luck?

"For those who truly have no free time"
Um, something has gone horribly wrong with your life!
Also (heh), is you have no free time, why are you reading
this article? You could be working out, instead :)

ARTHUR...I WAS GOING TO OPEN WITH DOCTOR CRUZ, NOT SURE WHY...ANY-WAY. I WAS TORN WITH GOING TO THE GYM. MY ORIGINAL WORK SCHEDULE HAD ME ON 4-12-ISH AND WEEKENDS 12 HOUR SHIFTS. I DID A LITTLE HERE AND THERE AT WORK, YET, KEPT TELLING MYSELF I WOULD ACCOMPLISH WHAT I WANTED TO IF I COULD GO TO THE GYM. A BLOCK AND A HALF AWAY, A HOTEL GYM WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 24 HOURS. I MENTIONED IT AND JEALOUS STARTED ASKING WHY I NEEDED TO GO, EXCLAIMING THAT I NEEDED TO REST...AND WHEN THAT DIDN'T GET THE AFFECT SHE WANTED [SINCE IT'S "HER" PLACE] I WAS TOLD SHE WOULDN'T UNLOCK THE DOOR.

I'M ALL FOR HOME DEFENSE, WITH THE DOG AND A GUN, AND PEPPER SPRAY AND THE APARTMENT IS ON THE SECOND FLOOR. WHY CAN'T SHE BE ALONE FOR ANOTHER HOUR OR 90 MINUTES. NEVER-THE-LESS I DIGRESS.

I RE-STARTED PUSH-UPS. THIS TIME I USED THE STAIRS. I LEANED FORWARD AND DID 10 ON STAIR NUMBER 6, WITH MY FEET ON THE LANDING. IT WAS A LOT LIKE A MILITARY PRESS AND I COULD FEEL IT IN THE ABS LIKE A PLANK...IN THAT I WANTED TO BE CERTAIN NOT TO HURT MYSELF, I OPTED TO START ON STEP 5.

THUS BEGAN THE 5 STAIR STEP PUSH-UPS. STARTING WITH 10 AND KNOCKING OUT 1O EVERY TIME I WENT DOWN TO THE TRASH OR CAME BACK IN...OR WENT TO THE LAUNDRY ROOM. THEN I DECIDE I WAS GOING TO MAKE NOTE OF HOW MANY I HAD ACCOMPLISHED. AND DECIDED I WAS GOING FOR 1,000.

WHEN I HIT 1,OOO, I DROPPED ONE HAND ONTO STEP NUMBER 4 AND KEPT ONE HAND ON STEP NUMBER 5 [I CALL IT 4 1/2]. WHEN I FINISHED 1,000, I DROPPED DOWN TO STEP 4. CLIFF ASKED ME HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO DO 1,000? THAT WEEK, IT TOOK ONLY 4 DAYS. I KINDA GOT CARRIED AWAY AND COMPLETED 200 RIGHT AFTER CLIFF HAD ASKED AND THE NEXT DAY 500 [OVER A 24 HOUR PERIOD].

TODAY IS THE 3OTH OF SEPTEMBER 2014. 2 DAYS AGO, I REACHED 5,000 TOTAL. I FEEL STRONG AND CAN TELL BOTH FROM THE NUMBER OF PUSH UPS I CAN KNOCK OUT STRAIGHT - AND THE CHANGES I SEE IN THE MIRROR. I AM ON STEP 2 1/2 WITH 900 TO GO. BY THE TIME I AM DONE, I WILL HAVE COMPLETED 10,000.

I AM CONSIDERING DECLINE PUSH UPS NEXT, YET IN THE MEAN TIME I WANT TO KNOCK THE GUT DOWN A LITTLE FASTER. 2 DAYS AGO, WHILE SITTING IN MY [AT HOME] OFFICE CHAIR. I PLANTED MY FEET, HIPS WIDTH APART AND COMPLETED [SLOWLY] 100 SIT-FORWARD [CAN'T REALLY CALL THEM SIT-UPS IN A CHAIR CAN YOU] TOE/FLOOR TOUCHES. IT FELT GOOD. THE AFTER BURN IS SO THAT IF I MISS A DAY [NO INTENTIONALLY] I CAN STILL FEEL MY BODY BEGGING FOR MORE.

I ALSO HAVE NON-CONCENTRATED EXERCISES THAT I DO, THAT I DON'T TRACK. LIKE ONE DAY, I DID 1000 STRAIGHT TORSO TWISTS AND 1000 SIDE BENDS. I STARTED DOING WHAT I CALL SIT-SQUATS. BEFORE I LEFT THE RESTROOM ONE DAY, I CLOSED THE LID, SAT DOWN-STOOD UP [I'M HEADING FOR 1,000].

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, DO SOMETHING. TAKE A 3X5 CARD AND ON A DAY WHEN YOU GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO GET INTO A QUIET MIND AND SPACE. WRITE DOWN 10 REASONS WHY YOU WANT TO BE HEALTHIER.

LIKE THE TV SHOW "EXTREME WEIGHT LOSS", WHERE HE WORKS TO GET RESULTS OVER A 365 DAY PERIOD. GIVE YOUR SELF TIME. THERE WAS A GUY I USE TO WORK WITH WHO WAS ABOUT 23, BOUGHT INSANITY AND IN LESS THAN A MONTH WAS DONE. JUST QUIT. WASTED MONEY...AT LEAST HE DIDN'T BY IT RETAIL. HE GOT IT ON EBAY. HOPEFULLY THE PERSON WHO SOLD IT GOT THE RESULTS THEY WANTED???

I WAS LOOKING AT THE "EXTREME SEAL EXPERIENCE" WEBSITE AND THERE IS A 24 HOUR VERSION OF 'HELL-WEEK'. I HAVE A MARTIAL ART WORK OUT I DO AND IT HAS 3 PARTS JUST TO CONDITION THE ARMS, THE HANDS AND THE FIST. I STARTED AT 5 MINUTES [WITH THE KITCHEN TIMER] WORKING ON THE TELEPHONE POLE IN THE PARKING LOT. TO DATE, MY PERSONAL BEST IS 3 HOURS STRAIGHT.

I KNOW MY "WHY"

IF YOU SAW ME, MOST PEOPLE RARELY EVER GUESS....I'VE GOT 52 YEARS IN THE ARTS AT 60. BEING A GRAND MASTER IS MORE OF A MINDSET THAN A BELT. TO ALL WHOM 'THINK' THEY WANT TO WORK OUT. START WITH 1. ONE PUSH UP AND THEN REPEAT IT THE NEXT DAY...AND THE NEXT DAY. GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO WIN. YOU HAVE MY BLESSING AND ENCOURAGEMENT. NOW BACK AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER AND CHAIR SIT FORWARD OR DO 5-10 SIT-SQUATS. :-]